Chicken and Tortellini Salad

A simple Mediterranean-inspired Chicken and Tortellini Salad is the recipe of the season! This crowd-pleasing dish is a great make-ahead dinner, an easy contribution to your next potluck, and a packable solution for picnics or travel.

This recipe for Chicken and Tortellini Salad is sponsored by Farberware. As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

A simple Mediterranean-inspired Chicken and Tortellini Salad is the recipe of the season! This crowd-pleasing dish is a great make-ahead dinner, an easy contribution to your next potluck, and a packable solution for picnics or travel.

Hey, friends! I’ve got a lot to share with you today, so let’s jump right in — starting with our new favorite tortellini salad. It’s an easy recipe that has officially been approved by my husband AND my 3 boys (even if 2 out of 3 boys picked around the olives)!

When my family of 5 devours a meal without complaint, I consider it the ultimate culinary stamp of approval!

There’s nothing particularly fancy, difficult, or unusual about this recipe. Instead, it’s just a lovely combination of really delicious, fresh ingredients that work perfectly together.

The best part? You can prepare the tortellini salad in advance, pack it up in a container, and enjoy it when you need a quick, satisfying meal. The ingredients “marinate” together and just get better as they sit!

Let’s make this easy Chicken and Tortellini Salad:

The total prep time for this dish, from start to finish, is about 30 minutes. To make the process efficient, I like to prep my vegetables while I’m waiting for the pasta and the chicken to cook.

I used my new Neat Nest™ collection of pots and pans to get it all done!

Neat Nest is Farberware’s awesome space-saving solution for storing pots and pans together without surface scratches, dents, and dings.

To prepare the tortellini salad, you’ll want to grab the 6-quart saucepot to boil water and cook your tortellini according to the package instructions. I like to use the largest pot because it gives the pasta plenty of space to cook without sticking together.

Drain the tortellini and allow it to cool slightly before combining it with the rest of your ingredients.

While waiting for the pasta water to boil, use the 12-inch skillet to brown your chicken.

I use chicken breast tenderloins because they cook really quickly, but you can use regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs if you prefer.

The large 12-inch skillet provides plenty of space for the chicken to cook and become crispy and golden on the outside, instead of overcrowding the pan which will steam the meat.

Allow the browned chicken to rest on a cutting board until it’s cool enough to handle. Then dice it into bite-sized pieces.

While the chicken browns in the skillet and your pasta boils in the saucepot, it’s time to focus on the veggies! Take a few minutes to slice and dice these beautiful, fresh ingredients.

Making The Dressing

The dressing, which is really just a basic red wine vinaigrette, comes together in a jar in about 1 minute!

This recipe yields about 1 cup of dressing, but you will not need all of it initially. I like to save the extra dressing for later, since you might want to add a bit more vinaigrette to your tortellini salad if the salad has been sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Then it’s just a matter of tossing everything together into one big, flavorful, and filling meal. It’s a pasta dish that satisfies your cravings without weighing you down.

You get the great taste of the cheesy tortellini, the satiating protein of the chicken, and the volume and texture of the fresh veggies.

Chicken and Tortellini Salad

A simple Mediterranean-inspired Chicken and Tortellini Salad is the recipe of the season! This crowd-pleasing dish is a great make-ahead dinner, an easy contribution to your next potluck, and a packable solution for picnics or travel.

Course
Lunch/Dinner

Cuisine
Italian

Keyword
chicken pasta salad, pasta salad

Prep Time15minutes

Cook Time15minutes

Chilling Time1hour

Total Time30minutes

Servings8cups

Calories260.6kcal

AuthorBlair

Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING:

¾cupextra virgin olive oil

¼cupred wine vinegar

2teaspoonsminced fresh garlic

½teaspoonsalt

1/8teaspoonpepper

FOR THE SALAD:

1lb.boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins

1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil

1(9 or 10 ounce)package fresh three cheese tortellini pasta

2cupsloosely packed baby spinach

1cupdiced red onion

1cuphalved grape or cherry tomatoes

1cupdiced seedless cucumber

1(2.25 ounce)can sliced black olives, drained

¼cupcrumbled feta cheese

¼cuploosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

Prepare the Vinaigrette: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a large jar or measuring cup. Shake (or whisk) until completely combined. Set aside.

Prepare the Chicken: Season chicken with salt and pepper on all sides, to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet and allow the chicken to cook on one side, undisturbed, for at least 6-7 minutes. Flip, and cook the chicken for about 6-8 more minutes, or until it is nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.

The chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, or when juices run clear.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest.

Prepare the Tortellini: Cook the tortellini in a large saucepot according to package instructions. Drain.

Cover and refrigerate salad until ready to serve. You can prepare this dish up to 1 day in advance. Stir in the chopped fresh basil just before serving.

Recipe Notes

*I like to use the extra vinaigrette to "refresh" the salad if it has been sitting in the refrigerator for a few hours. As it sits, the pasta will absorb some of the dressing, so you may need to add more to the bowl just before serving.

Cooking for a Small Family? Cut all of the ingredients in half. Cooking instructions remain the same.

Blair! Entering this giveaway, and also just wanted to let you know that we have been pulling HEAVILY from your blog while we live with my folks (waiting on those home renovations) looking for things to feed a crowd of 6 ranging in age from 2 to 70 and literally every recipe has been a hit. You’re the best!

Thanks for offering the giveaway! I check your blog every Sunday morning. Your little guys are so cute! My kids are all in high school or college now, so when we make your recipes, we’re doubling things up.The tortellini salad looks like a good possibility for us, especially for lunches. Thanks for the idea!

Perfect timing! I am looking for recipes to take with me on the weekends for lunch as I sit at softball tournaments with my daughter, this will be the first one I try! The Faberware looks fantastic, I hope this idea catches on, we could all use cookware that stacks neatly and goes in the dishwasher.

This recipe looks absolutely delicious and the great thing is it looks like one everyone in my family will eat and those are the kind of recipes I’m looking for since I have finicky kids that never agree at meal times. I love the pots they look so stream lined and professional,like anything I cook in them will turn out perfect!

I love that salad. Not only is it amazingly beautiful, it is very healthy. I plan on making this for my ladies reading group. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe. I have not seen these stackable pans before. They are perfect for a small kitchen

This looks like something me and my spouse will have to investigate we have just lost 100 pounds–and am trying to get my spouse to
get more healthy too–It has been a hard struggle but we will survive–thank you for the recipe
Norma Smith
Santee, CA.

Everything looks so good you have made! Happy Earth Day! I love Farberware, and this set would make for a great replacement! I use mine until they wear out and they are certainly hitting the worn out phase.

this recipe looks delicious…I will have to try it when I get paid….I like a lot of your recipes…they are all easy to make and are a wonderful addition to my dinners….I subscribed a while ago and find your recipes very good and tasty….thank you for sharing!!!

Blair, this recipe looks delicious…I will have to try it when I get paid….I like a lot of your recipes…they are all easy to make and are a wonderful addition to my dinners….I subscribed a while ago and find your recipes very good and tasty….thank you for sharing!!!

Hi Blair, I have been following your recipes by email and even forwarding then to friends and family to try! I’ve always loved to cook and as a relatively new mom of two already ravenous boys and a husband, I need your quick prep, hearty recipes often! Thanks for all your effort with helping others cook!

the salad looks really good , can’t wait to make it an try it. as for the pans if I could win that would be a wonderful blessing. I live in a apartment with a small kitchen little storage space to be had. So this would make my cooking a joy when it comes to having the correct pot an pan for the thing I am cooking.

This salad looks delicious; light, tasty and healthy! Having recently lost 75 pounds, I am always trying to make healthy and yet tasty dishes. Winning a new set of cookware would certainly help with that task!

My Wife and I moved to Saint Maries, Idaho to take care of Her 94 year old.Mother that has short term memory loss, but she still has a quick witted mind. She is always getting me with Zinners!
I do all the cooking, so I am constantly looking up your meal plans for something new to cook for Her and my Wife so I don’t bore them with the same-o…same-o. My Mother-in-Law is always asking me, “Are you going to surprise me with one of ‘Blair’s Recipes’ tonight?” When I answer yes, she can hardly wait to eat. We have never been disappointed yet!
My pots and pans are a little over 20 years old and pretty beat up. Some of the handles are even taped on. Your giveaway would just be perfect. Thank you for giving me the chance to enter and also Thank you for your recipes that keeps my meals exciting and healthy. Have a great Yeear!

Jimmy! That makes me so happy to hear! Good for you — it’s no easy task to take on the kitchen duties to feed a family. I’m so glad that my recipes have made your job easier. Thank you for your kind note!

I have enjoyed your posts for quite a while now. Being originally from VA but in NC, I have fond memories visiting some of the places you and your family go to. You’re recipes are so fresh and taste, our family love them. Thank you for your time and attention to all if us why follow you.

Hi, Amy! That’s so great to hear! I’m glad that our adventures bring back happy memories! VA is a great place to live (but NC is also wonderful). My mom’s family is from NC, so I’ve spent some time there as well! 🙂

Blair: Wonderful looking pasta salad and clever Neat Nest cookware. Your photos of Central Virginia are always so picturesque! We visited Harper’s Ferry last fall and fell in love with the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains, the waterways, and abundant trees. What a fantastic place to live and raise a family!

Oh Blair, I love your recipes and once I use them I share them with my beautician, my daughter and my daughter-in-law. I cannot wait till Sunday rolls around and I hear from you. This 70 year old woman really has something to look forward too now. I love your recipes, your stories and most of all your family. I went through your meal planning and have learned so much from you. I feel like you are my next door neighbor and I could ask you any “cooking question” that might come up. I have really tried most of your recipes and they have been delicious. Going to the grocery store with a grocery list that is all organized has cut my food bill down and I don’t wind up thinking I don’t have it and buying more of what I already have at home. Your are a very good person for sharing all of these details with all of us. A lot of times someone else’s knowledge is like GOLD!!!!!!! Thanks again for the free giveaway offer. I love gadgets, pots and pans and all the kitchen items that make my life easier. Thanks again for being you! I can’t wait to try these new recipes and will wait for next week.

Donna! You sure know how to make a girl feel good! 🙂 Thank you for your kind note. It brings me so much joy to know that my recipes and my little blog posts are helpful and entertaining for you. Thank you for reading!!

Love the idea of this pasta salad! I agree with your boys though, so will probably nix the olives.
Also excited about the giveaway; Farberware makes great stuff! It’s really cool that they’re doing this for us!

Hi Blair! Good to see you and all the men in your family out enjoying the park. Always so much to discover. And we can finally start to celebrate Spring! Easy cooking ideas, picnics and a giveaway! Absolutely superb! Enjoy the rest of the day.

Thank you for all of your family friendly recipes. I have tried several and our family has really enjoyed them. I make a weekly meal plan now using your printable meal plan sheet and I am ready for the week. This recipe is definitely going on my meal plan for the following week. Thanks for the opportunity to win these great sets.

Hi Blair- I recently found your site! Your Dump and Bake method really caught my eye; I’m all about simplicity in the kitchen!
This dish looks like a real winner and I’m super excited to try it!!
Thank you for such quick and diverse meals!

Hey, Kathleen! So glad to “meet” you! I have SO MANY dump-and-bake recipes on the blog, so I hope that you find some new favorites. I’m all about quick and simple in the kitchen, too. Thanks for reading!

Despite everyone’s hectic schedulenowadays, ialways make time to read your email blog each week, not to mention I’ve made several of your recipes. Thanks for all of your hardwork and keeping it real with so many of us each week.

Hey! I am so excited to have stumbled across your blog. We live a hop, skip and a jump away in Charlottesville. I’m actually making your skinny stuffed peppers for dinner right now but now this is on the list for later this week, it looks great. Thanks for the recipe 🙂

Perfect Salad for the summer. I have been trying your recipes for about 6 months now. I am cooking for 2. My husband is currently taking chemo treatments and his tastes changes all the time. One day he will love it, the next day not so good. I am always on the look out for new, easy, quick and healthy meals. Your recipes have made my life a lot easier. Thank you

This salad looks so delicious; I can’t wait to try it!! It sounds so perfect for a hot summer day!! We have a lot of picnics with family and friends all summer long, so I’m always looking for something new to try. I also belong to several different sewing groups and need great ideas for pot luck meals. I love how all your recipes are so simple and quick to make.
The pots and pans look awesome!! We’ve been married for 46 years and some of the things in my kitchen are that old.
Thank you so much.

Thank you Blair! I am always looking for things that pack well for lunches away from home! This looks so delicious and healthy! Thanks also for the awesome give a way! Very exciting! I always wonder what products you are using for meal prep!

Love this salad. Can’t wait to try it. Getting ready to prep it now. Am participating in study dealing with diet and dementia and find that I could always use your delicious recipes. Love the idea of the nesting pots — one has only so much space!

Oh Blair…..You never cease to amaze me!! I love getting your emals and have tried your recipes….awesome.
I bought my house 40 years ago this Labor Day. My uncle, who was a sheet metal worker, told me to buy GOOD cookware….Farberware! I still use that OLD set today. It’s been burned, scratched…..you name it. It doesn’t look as good as new but it does get the job done.

BUT…I would love to win that new set of Farberware! It’s beautiful. It would still work good for inbetween sized cooking.
I have got to try the salad, too. You come up with some extreeeeeeemly yummy recipes.

This looks like an amazing summer or anytime salad. Will definitely be making this one for my family. I live in NC at the Blue Ridge Mountains love the scenery of your walks each time I see them. Thank you for the wonderful recipes.

Love the giveaway & they’re stackable that could really use these pots/pans as mine are as they as old as dirt they’re so old. I’m going to keep this salad as a summer staple for anytime. I’ve been trying several of your recipes since I’ve been reading your blog and the family has enjoyed them some of them I put my own twist on. I enjoy reading about your family adventures and having to keep the kids busy as I can relate to that. Keep bringing those great recipes!

I am always looking for a new recipe for my family of 6!! The kids are super excited to try this one out! Glad to see we have a chance at the pots and pans, could really use a new set. Ours get a lot of use😀

Blair I love how quick and easy your recipes are to prepare. Grandma’s Eggplant Parmesan is still one of our favorites. I share your blogs and recipes when I can. Thank you for sharing your family and your passion for food.

Such a healthy and delicious recipe! It looks so colorful, festive and perfect for summer! I will be trying this out soon as the ingredients are all very appealing to my husband and myself! Lovely share!

Holy WOW, note to self do not read a food post at 9a that is not a breaksfast post. I am now going to head into my kitchen and make this. I have almost all the ingredients (no fresh basil).
Thank you this is dinner tonight and it will have plenty of time to absorb the flavor (nice note to keep extra to refresh it, I always forget about that when making a pasta with dressing)

Good afternoon, Blair
I want to let you know that I look forward to you “Week In Meals” every Sunday. I have made a lot of your dishes, especially the Dump & Bake. By the time we get home from work, I don’t feel like cooking. Your dishes make a delicious supper and there is always enough for lunch the next day, even for my son and daughter-in-law. I don’t change the recipe for only 2 just for this reason.
Thanks for the great meals
Patti

Blair I have followed your receipts and your beautiful family for several years. Always look forward to watching your children grow. And the great tasty recipes are a huge time savor and family loves them thanks for being there I hope you continue on for many years!

I really enjoy, and look forward to, getting your recipes. Sharing your busy schedule with all of your boys’ activities brings back fond memories for me with both of my boys – baseball and fishing in the summer and hockey in the winter. I must say that I would not have that kind of energy today. Like everyone else I would absolutely love to win these pots and pans. Have a great week and I look forward to getting more delicious recipes next week.

Thanks, Diane! I’m glad that our crazy schedule brings back fond memories! 🙂 There are many days when I think that I don’t have the energy to keep up with them now. Hah! It’s definitely fun, though. I’m looking forward to many more busy years as they grow!

Looks yummy — can’t wait to try it. Love the photos of your outing; lucky you living so close to a National Park!
But I can still make and pack this up for lunch at work.
And I love the container that you mixed the salad dressing in; can you please tell me where you found it?
And, lastly, thanks for the giveaway! 🙂

I stumbled upon your website the other day as I was searching for healthy, easy recipes for my young family. Absolutely hooked now and love receiving the regular emails too! Your dump and bake chicken fajita quinoa casserole was a huge hit and my picky 5 year old even loved. I was absolutely amazed! And it was so easy to make….sooo easy! Thank you for these options that take the pressure off us moms and give us the ability to still serve healthy meals to our families and spend our time with them rather than always in the kitchen. What a blessing! Thank you for this!

What great timing! I am hosting a group of gals from my church as we meet to brainstorm ideas for the packing of our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. I had decided to serve a few different kinds of salads including a green salad, a fruit salad and one more which was yet to be determined. This Chicken Tortellini salad will round out the menu beautifully!
(And for anyone who is not familiar with Operation Christmas Child Shoebox program, check out the great information on the Samaritan’s Purse website.) Once you pack a shoebox for a child who has never received a gift or has NOTHING to call his own, I guarantee, you will be hooked!

I also live in Virginia. It’s a beautiful state. I am crazy about pasta salad. I can’t wait to try your recipe! It’s on the menu for this week. Love the Faberware pots and pans too! High quality and the stackable feature is ingenious!

Was looking for another way to cook pasta with chicken — this is a really good one. I substituted angel hair for the tortellini (grandchild likes that best). Followed the rest of the recipe faithfully. FANTASTIC. Thanks so much for sharing.

Thanks for the giveaway! I love reading your week in meals! With 3 kids playing ball (in 2 different leagues!) as well, I love seeing the quick dinners. When the season first started, I couldn’t keep up with practices, games, & supper! I have much respect for you cause you seem so put together!!! Thanks again!!!

Hi, Kristi! I can assure you — I am NOT so put together! I often feel like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I try to prioritize getting a meal in the kids’ bodies each night, but sometimes that looks like fish sticks, a sandwich, frozen pizza, or a bowl of cereal when I don’t have the time or energy for anything else. I think the key is to just give yourself some grace. I do my best, but I also don’t set expectations that overwhelm me or make me feel guilty when I can’t fulfill them. My kids are healthy and happy — even when they eat cereal for dinner on occasion — and that’s all that really matters.

I’m glad that you find the meal ideas helpful (that’s definitely my goal), but I also hope that you cut yourself some slack and just do the best that you can! 🙂 Thanks for reading the blog!

Hi,
Thanks for the yummy sounding/looking recipe. I look forward to trying it tomorrow. I am so impressed & in awe of your organizational skills in such a busy, full life. How do you do it all????? You provide an awesome service to all of us.
Thanks,
Brenda

Easy, light, and delicious!!! My husband wanted me to make it again the next night. I added a little Italian seasoning to the vinaigrette and liked the addition. I also used more feta because we love feta. Also prefer green olives. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and family. I might try rotisserie chicken next time as a shortcut. Thanks!!!